Odometer



P. PASCHEN ET AL ODOMETER Feb. 1o, 1942.

Filed Feb. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .......n-v'ar'ar Feb. 1o, 1942. R PASCHEN ET AL' 2,272,326

ODOMETER Filed Feb. ll, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 2 jt a 29 2 g f J l www @7 Y/MWm/HBW Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ODOMETER of Germany Application February 11, 1939, Serial No. 255,808 In Germany February 15, 1938 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an odometer for railway vehicles or the like, particularly to an odometer mounted in the axle box of the vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable construction for such odometers, permitting the accommodation of the odometer in different types of railway vehicles. An object, more particularly, is to allow mounting of the odometer in different axle b-oxes without requiring appreciable constructional changes of the axle boxes or the use of additional connecting pieces and box parts.

Another object of the invention is to prevent an incorrect registering due to unavoidable shocks of the vehicle axle occurring under severe operating conditions.

A further object of the invention is to render the indications of the odometer independent of displacements of the vehicle axle within the axle box. Such displacements occur in operation when displacing or adjusting the axle bearing in the case of worn-out axle brasses as well as when replacing the worn-out axle brasses b y new ones.

A still further object of the invention is to Figs. 1 to 3 show three different views of a l' preferred embodiment of the odometer according to the invention. Fig. 1 represents a side elevation, Fig. 2 a section along the dot-and-dash line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a front elevation of the odometer mechanism.

Figs. 4 to 8 show different views of odometers according to the invention mounted in axle boxes of diierent types. Figs. 4 and 5, in particular, illustrate a second embodiment, Fig. 4 showing a part-sectional side elevation of the complete odometer and Fig. 5 a front view with the cover of the odometer removed; Figs. 6 and 7 are part-sectional side and front elevations respectively of a third embodiment. Fig. 8 shows a part-sectional side view of another modication.

Referring at rst to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, numeral I denotes a pocket-shaped supporting frame provided with suspension eyes 2. Two oscillatory arms 4 are pivoted on trunnions 3. A follower member consisting of a yoke 5 is linked by bolts 5 to the ends of the levers 4 so as to be capable of, and coniined to, parallel motions in a direction transverse to the slot 4i] of the yoke. The longitudinal sides of the slot 40 are bordered by two parallel ledges forming sliding surfaces 20.

A ratchet wheel 'I is mounted on a shaft 4I between the arms 4. The shaft 4I is journalled in the frame I and serves to actuate the counter of the odometer. The ratchet wheel 'I is advanced by a driving pawl 8 mounted on a crossbar I which bridges the two arms 4. A retaining pawl 0r detent 9 also coacting with the Wheel 'I prevents it from rotating in the opposite direction. A second shaft 42 also journalled in frame I is coupled with shaft 4I by means of gears II and I2 and carries a worm I3 driving a worm wheel I5. This worm wheel is rmly connected with the numeral wheel I4 for indicating the lowest digit (Fig. 3). The other numeral wheels for indicating the higher digits are denoted by I6. They are coupled with wheel I4 by a tens transfer transmission as usual in such registering devices. Wheels I4, I and I6 are mounted on a common axle 43 in an extension I1 of the supporting framey I and are covered by a guard I9 provided with windows I8.

The planes of the sliding surfaces extend vertically and in the direction of the vehicle axle 2l (see Fig. 4). A driver 24 composed of rawhide disks is secured eccentrically to the end surface 22 of the axle 2I by means of a flange 23 (Fig, 4). The sliding surface of the driver is completely cylindrical and its axis is parallel to that of axle 2i. When the axle 2| revolves, the driver 24 causes the yoke 5 and the arms 4 to oscillate and to actuate the ratchet and gear transmission driving the registering device. Due to the particular arrangement of the coacting sliding surfaces of the driver and the yoke, the unavoidable vertical strokes of the vehicle axle are prevented from damaging the odometric device or affecting its proper operation. It is of essential advantage with respect to this protective function that the bolt 6 connecting the yoke 5 with the arms 4 be arranged in or near the horizontal axial plane of the axle 2I, i. e. within the vertical zone of the kinematic engagement between the pin 24 and the slide surfaces 20, and it is also preferable to arrange the points of attachment of the frame I, i. e. the eyes 2, also within the just-mentioned vertical zone. This design renders vertical strokes virtually ineffective and, besides, results in a relatively simple and space-saving construction. Due to the same arrangement, in particular of the sliding surfaces, an axial displacement of thc axle or of its bearing is also without disturbing effect.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is similar to that above-described, except that the bearing 44 of the vehicle axle 2| is provided with an oil trough 28 separate from the axle box, the latter consisting of a casing 2Gb and a cover 26e.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 6 and 7, the odometer is fastened to two angle pieces 3G secured to the axle box 3|. In this case the device is arranged in a separate sheet metal trough 32 which collects a portion of the lubricant poured into the bearing through the aperture 33.

According to Fig. 8 the odometer is arranged within a hood 3S which covers the opening 3d of the bearing cover 35. The aperture 31 per mits the reading of the register. 32 denotes a sheet iron trough which retains the lubricant for the odometer.

What is claimed is:

l. An odometer to be actuated by a wheel axle of a vehicle, in particular for railway vehicles, comprising a driving member mounted eccentrically on an end face of said vehicle axle, a movable member arranged in front of said end face in direct and constrained engagement with said driving member as regards the horizontal com ponent of the motion of said driving member, said movable member being designed to allow said driving member free relative movements in the vertical and axial directions, a supporting structure to be secured to said vehicle, a parallelogram mechanism comprising two arms movably arranged and spaced from each other in the plane of movement of said movable member, said arms having one end pivotally secured to said structure and spaced in the vertical direction from said axle, the other ends respectively oi said arms being linked to said movable member at places within the vertical range of movement of said driving member, a counting devicehaving rotary counter members, and transmission means operatively connecting said mechanism with said device for transforming the oscillatory motion of said mechanism into a unidirectional rotation of said counting members.

2. An odometer to be actuated by a wheel axle of a vehicle, in particular for railway vehicles, comprising a driving pin mounted on an end face of said axle so as to have its geometrical axis in parallel to that of seid axle, a yoke member arranged substantially in a vertical plane in front of said end face, said yoke having a vertical slide surface engaging said driving pin so as to allow relative axial displacements between said yoke member and said pin, a parallel motion guiding mechanism for confining said member to oscillatory parallel displacements along said vertical plane, said mechanism being linked to said yoke member at places within the Vertical range of movement of said pin, a counting device having rotary counter members, and transmission means operatively connecting said mechanism with said device for transforming the oscillatory motion of said mechanism into a unidirectional rotation of said counting members.

3. An odometer in combination with a bearing of a wheel axle of a vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle, comprising a frame structure connected with said bearing, a driving pin eccentrically mounted on an end face of said axle, a movable follower member having an elongate slot and arranged in front of said end face in engagement with said pin so as to exert substantially horizontal oscillations due to rotations of said pin while allowing free relative vertical and axial movements of said pin, a parallel-motion mechanism for guiding said follower member, said mechanism being linked with said member at points within the vertical zone of the operating range of said engagement, a counting device having rotary counter members, and transmission means operatively connecting said mechanism with said device for transforming the oscillatory motion of said mechanism into a unidirectional rotation of said counting members, said guiding mechanism, said counting device, and said transmission means being mounted on said frame structure.

4. In combination with an oil container associated with a bearing oi an axle oi a railway vehicle, an odometer comprising a supporting frame firmly attached to said oil container, said frame having its points of attachment arranged near said axle and containing a bottom portion suspending below said axle, a driving pin eccentrically mounted on the end face of said axle, a yoke arranged in `iront of said end face and having a vertical slot bordered by opposite sliding surfaces engaging said pin, two parallel guiding arms arranged in substantially vertical direction and in parallel relation to each other, said arms having their lower ends pivotally mounted on said bottom portion of said frame and their upper ends linked to said yoke substantially in the horizontal axial plane of said axle and forming part of a parallelogram mechanism for conflning said yoke to parallel motions, a ratchet gear having a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said bottom portion of said frame, and a driving pawl connected with said mechanism in order to transform the oscillatory motion of said mechanism into a unidirectional rotary motion, and a counter mounted on said frame and operativelv connected with said ratchet wheel.

PAUL PASCHE'N. GEORG MOHR. HERMANN EBERT. 

